Sure, but think in terms of observers. From the perspective of the universe that the simulators end up keeping there’s only one universe, the one where the simulators got what they wanted.
But at any given time you may be in a branch that’s going to be deleted or rewound because it doesn’t lead to the results that the simulators want. The vast bulk of our experience would be in lines that the simulators don’t want. So not only do we have no reason to suppose it’s happening, it wouldn’t be particularly useful to us if we suppose that the branch the simulators want is better for us than the ones they don’t.
I concede that my understanding of the requirements to project a simulation of our universe may have been mistaken, but the conclusions jacob cannell drew are still extraneous additions to the simulation argument, not necessary consequences of it.
Omniscience and omnipotence have already been discussed at length—the SA does not imply perfection in either category on the part of the creator, but this is a meaningless distinction. For all intents and purposes the creator would have the potential for absolute control over the simulation. It is of course much more of an open question whether the creator would ever intervene in any fashion.
(I discussed that in length elsewhere, but basically I think future posthumans would be less likely to intervene in our history while aliens would be more likely)
Also, my points about the connectedness between morality and utility functions of creator and creation still stand. The SA requires that the creator made the simulation for a purpose in its universe, and the utility function or morality of the creator evolved from something like our descendants.
But at any given time you may be in a branch that’s going to be deleted or rewound because it doesn’t lead to the results that the simulators want. The vast bulk of our experience would be in lines that the simulators don’t want.
Not necessarily. It would depend on how narrow they wanted things and how often they intervened in this fashion. If such interventions are not very common then the majority of experience will be in universes which are very close to that desired by the simulators.
but the conclusions jacob cannell drew are still extraneous additions to the simulation argument, not necessary consequences of it.
But at any given time you may be in a branch that’s going to be deleted or rewound because it doesn’t lead to the results that the simulators want. The vast bulk of our experience would be in lines that the simulators don’t want. So not only do we have no reason to suppose it’s happening, it wouldn’t be particularly useful to us if we suppose that the branch the simulators want is better for us than the ones they don’t.
I concede that my understanding of the requirements to project a simulation of our universe may have been mistaken, but the conclusions jacob cannell drew are still extraneous additions to the simulation argument, not necessary consequences of it.
Which are the ‘extraneous additions’?
Omniscience and omnipotence have already been discussed at length—the SA does not imply perfection in either category on the part of the creator, but this is a meaningless distinction. For all intents and purposes the creator would have the potential for absolute control over the simulation. It is of course much more of an open question whether the creator would ever intervene in any fashion.
(I discussed that in length elsewhere, but basically I think future posthumans would be less likely to intervene in our history while aliens would be more likely)
Also, my points about the connectedness between morality and utility functions of creator and creation still stand. The SA requires that the creator made the simulation for a purpose in its universe, and the utility function or morality of the creator evolved from something like our descendants.
Not necessarily. It would depend on how narrow they wanted things and how often they intervened in this fashion. If such interventions are not very common then the majority of experience will be in universes which are very close to that desired by the simulators.
No disagreement there.